Insulating apparatus DGK for panel assemblies

Abstract

Apparatus and method for heat insulating the inside of a panel assembly (11) forming a building-type structure is disclosed. The insulating apparatus includes anchor clips (31) that are secured in the connecting flange portions of adjacent panels prior to joining them together at continuous seams. These anchor clips are arranged at spaced intervals along the seams and in rows spaced to accommodate standard width of sheets of heat insulation. An intermediate connecting member (33) snap fastens to each anchor clip and preferably is of a good heat insulating material such as an extruded plastic which serves as a thermal barrier between the metal anchor clips (31) and metal retaining members (35). The retaining members snap fasten to each of a row of intermediate connecting members. Spaced pairs of the retaining members (35) extend along and engage the bottom side edge portions of the insulation to support the insulation along, and preferably firmly in place against, the inside of the connecting panels. An alternative retaining member arrangement is a channel-shaped panel with a flat bottom and parallel sidewalls and having end portions that snap-fit into the intermediate connecting members (37) to fully enclose and fully support the insulation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In insulating apparatus for a panel assembly including a plurality of side by side panels, adjacent panels having adjacent edge portions joined at seams, the combination comprisng: rows of spaced anchor clips secured in selected of said seams, each anchor clip extending inwardly from said seams and having a first resilient male snap fastening member in the form of a flexible hook portion with a bend at the lower end and having an inclined return portion which extends back and away from a shank portion at an angle, said return portion having a transverse edge;   an intermediate connecting member having a first female retaining groove for slidably receiving a first male snap fastening member on an associated anchor clip, said retaining groove having a neck narrower than the width of said hook portion through which said hook portion passes and is contracted upon insertion into said retaining groove and a lateral shoulder inwardly of said neck, said hook portion expanding after said transverse edge is inserted past said lateral shoulder to lock said hook portion from being pulled from said retaining groove, whereby each connecting member is readily hand-fastened to the associated anchor clip after said anchor clip is secured in the associatedseam, said intermediate connecting member having a second female retaining groove; and   retaining means including laterally inwardly extending support portions on which a body of insulation is supported along the inside of the panel assembly between said rows of anchor members, said retaining means having a second resilient male snap fastening member slidably received by an associated second female retaining groove of an intermediate connecting member and extending along a row of said intermediate connecting members, whereby said retaining member is readily hand-fastened to said connecting member after said connecting member is in place on an associated anchor clip.   
     
     
       2. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means holds said body of insulation snugly against the inside of associated of said panels. 
     
     
       3. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said panels are longitudinally curved and said body of insulation is flexed to conform to the shape of the inside of said panels and said retaining means flexes to conform to the curvature of said insulation. 
     
     
       4. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said intermediate connecting member is a body of good heat insulating material which provides a thermal barrier between each anchor clip and the associated retaining member. 
     
     
       5. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each anchor clip has a hook portion with a shank section, a bend, and a backturned return section substantially parallel to said shank section at one end arranged transverse to an intermediate portion, said hook portion being hooked over an inturned flange portion on one panel, said intermediate portion extending between adjacent sidewalls of adjacent panels. 
     
     
       6. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes a pair of laterally spaced retaining members each having an inwardly extending support portion. 
     
     
       7. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said retaining members is a strip having a generally inverted T-shape, the lower laterally extending portions supporting the bottom edge portions of adjacent bodies of insulation. 
     
     
       8. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said strip is roll-formed into shape from a sheet metal material. 
     
     
       9. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means is in the form of a channel-shaped panel having flexible hook portions extending up from parallel sidewalls of said panel to snap-fit into said intermediate connecting member. 
     
     
       10. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said intermediate connecting member is in the form of an oblong block of extruded plastic heat insulating material, said first female retaining groove being in the top and said second female retaining groove being in the bottom. 
     
     
       11. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vertical extent of said retaining means is changed to accommodate insulation of different thicknesses. 
     
     
       12. An insulating apparatus for a panel assembly including a plurality of side by side panels, adjacent panels having adjacent edge portions joined at seams, the combination comprising: rows of spaced anchor clips secured in selected of said seams, each anchor clip extending inwardly from said seams and having a snap fastening flexible hook at the free end with a bend at the lower end and having an inclined return portion which extends back and away from a shank portion at an angle, said return portion having a transverse edge, each anchor clip being made of a relatively short strip of sheet metal;   an intermediate connecting member in the form of an extruded plastic block having a top retaining groove for slidably receiving and retaining said flexible hook, said retaining groove having a neck that is narrower than the width of said hook through which said hook passes and is contracted upon insertion into said retaining groove and a lateral shoulder inwardly of said neck, said hook expanding after said transverse edge is inserted past said lateral shoulder to lock said hook against being pulled from said retaining groove, whereby each connecting member is readily hand-fastened to the associated anchor clip after said anchor clip is secured in the associated seam, said block further having a bottom retaining groove portion; and   retaining means including laterally inwardly extending sheet metal flexible support portions on which a body of insulation is supported along the inside of the panel assembly between said rows of anchor members, said retaining means having a flexible hook slidably received by and retained in said bottom retaining groove whereby said retaining means is readily hand-fastened to said connecting member after said connecting member in in place on an associated anchor clip, said retaining means extending along rows of said intermediate connecting members, said connecting members forming a thermal barrier between said anchor clips and said retaining means.   
     
     
       13. In insulating apparatus for a panel assembly including a plurality of side by side panels, adjacent panels having adjacent edge portions joined at seams, the combination comprising: rows of spaced anchor clips secured in selected of said seams, each anchor clip extending inwardly from said seams and having a first resilient male snap fastening member,   each said anchor clip being made of a strip of sheet metal bent at each end to form a transverse hook portion at the upper end and a flexible hook portion at the lower end;   an intermediate connecting member having a first female retaining groove for slidably receiving a first male snap fastening member on an associated anchor clip, whereby each connecting member is readily hand-fastened to the associated anchor clip after said anchor clip is secured in the associated seam, said intermeidate connecting member having a second female retaining groove; and   retaining means including laterally inwardly extending support portions on which a body of insulation is supported along the inside of the panel assembly between said rows of anchor members, said retaining means having a second resilient male snap fastening member slidably received by an associated second female retaining groove of an intermediate connecting member and extending along a row of said intermediate connecting members, whereby said retaining member is readily hand-fastened to said connecting member after said connecting member is in place on an associated anchor clip.   
     
     
       14. In insulating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said anchor clip has a transverse flange portion at one end extending from an intermediate portion, said flange portion being seamed between an inturned flange portion on one panel and an outturned flange portion on the other panel that is folded back under said inturned flange portion.